Recalled in a Success Driven World

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Recalled in a Success Driven World

• 1 Kings 19.1-18

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The Success Driven World

• S-U-C-C-E-S-S, thats the way to spell success.
  Who is going to win it? We or They? Nobody else
  but C.A.J.!

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1. Elijah as Successful

• 1.1 A Fire From Heaven
• Elijahs great underdog victory at Mt. Carmel
• 7 times the word answer is used in 1 Kings 18!
• Nobody could say whose victory had been greater,
  Yahwehs or Elijahs Frederick Buechner,
  Peculiar Treasures, 28

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1.1 A Fire From Heaven
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1. Elijah as Successful

• 1.2 Rain as Promised
• Rain after the long drought
• Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel, bent down
  to the ground and put his face between his
  knees. 1 Kgs 18.42
• Elijahs victory lap? Was it establishing the
  priority of the prophetic over the monarch?
  Cohen

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The Rocky Spirituality
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Biblical Spirituality

• History croons a low dirge over the overpowered
  heroes, but loud does its paean ring . . . for
  those who are crowned with success . . . . The
  Bible knows nothing of this intrinsic worth of
  success. On the contrary, when it announces a
  successful deed, it is duty bound to announce
  with utmost detail the failure involved in the
  success . . . this glorification of failure
  culminates in the long line of prophets whose
  existence is plain failure. They live in failure
  failure is the breath of their nostrils, it is
  for them to fight and not to conquer.

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2. Elijah as Failure 1 Kgs 19.1-8

• 2.1 The Threat of Jezebel (1 Kgs 19.1-4)
• So may the gods do to me, and more also, if I do
  not make your life like the life of one of them
  by this time tomorrow.
• The Greek appends If you are Elijah, then I am
  Jezebel!

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2.1 The Threat of Jezebel (1 Kgs 19.1-4)

• Then he was afraid he got up and fled for his
  life, and came to Beer-sheba, which belongs to
  Judah he left his servant there
• But he himself went a day's journey into the
  wilderness, and came and sat down under a
  solitary broom tree. He asked that he might die
  "It is enough now, O Yahweh, take away my life,
  for I am no better than my ancestors.

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Take away my life, for I am no better than my
ancestors.

• Contrast with Job Oh, that I had one to hear
  me! Here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer
  me! Oh, that I had the indictment written by my
  adversary! Surely I would carry it on my
  shoulder I would bind it on me like a crown I
  would give him an account of all my steps like a
  prince I would approach him. (Job 31.35-37)

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Take away my life, for I am no better than my
ancestors.

• Elijahs ancestor can be seen in the
  manipulative whining of Rebekah (Gen 27.46), when
  she covers for Jacobs deceits by says,
• I am weary of my life because the Hittite women.
  If Jacob marries one the Hittite women such as
  these, one of the women of the land, what good
  will my life be to me?

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Take away my life, for I am no better than my
ancestors.

• Temptation does not usually come when we are
  ready for it." Diogenes Allen, Temptation, 22

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Take away my life, for I am no better than my
ancestors.

• . . . no man can fight God's battle without
  being involved in humiliating defeat, even in
  what seems victory. Roland Wallace, Elijah and
  Elisha, 45
• George Bernanos, The Diary of the Country Priest

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2. Elijah as Failure 1 Kgs 19.1-8

• 2.1 Life in Failure (1 Kgs 19.5-8)
• Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell
  asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him and said to
  him, "Get up and eat
• He looked, and there at his head was a cake
  baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. He ate
  and drank, and lay down again.

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2.1 Life in Failure (1 Kgs 19.5-8)

• He got up, and ate and drank then he went in
  the strength of that food forty days and forty
  nights to Horeb the mount of God.
• Diogenes Allen We are not in charge of the
  circumstances in which our spiritual destiny is
  decided we do not set the terms or the
  conditions by which we are to find God. Allen,
  Temptation, 22

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3. Yahweh as Successful 1 Kgs 19.9-18

• 3.1 What are you doing here, Elijah? Part 1
  (19.9-10)
• THE Cave?
• I have been very zealous on the behalf of
  Yahweh, the God of hosts for the Israelites have
  forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars,
  and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone
  am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it
  away.
• Go out and stand on the mountain before Yahweh,
  for Yahweh is about to pass by.

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3. Yahweh as Successful 1 Kgs 19.9-18

• 3.2 Yahwehs Self-Revelation (19.11-13a)
• Now there was a great wind, so strong that it
  was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in
  pieces before Yahweh, but Yahweh was not in the
  wind and after the wind an earthquake, but
  Yahweh was not in the earthquake
• and after the earthquake a fire, but Yahweh was
  not in the fire and after the fire a sound of
  sheer silence.
• When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his
  mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of
  the cave.

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3. Yahweh as Successful 1 Kgs 19.9-18

• 3.3 What are you doing here, Elijah? Part 2
  (19.13b-18)
• Go, return on your way . . . .
• a. Anoint Hazael as king over Aram.
• b. Anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over
  Israel
• c. Anoint Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah
  as prophet in your place